FEATURE｜Interview with YOSUKE AIZAWA Yosuke Aizawa talks about his new journey with Hunting World.
Interview with YOSUKE AIZAWA
Yosuke Aizawa talks about his new journey in the Hunting World.
previous reportYosuke Aizawa joined the long-established New York brand "HUNTING WORLD" as a director, and successfully presented a high-impact runway show at the Pitti Uomo in June, as described in the "HUNTING WORLD" website. Here, we asked him to share his thoughts on his new challenge at " HUNTING WORLD.
Our goal was not to rebrand, but to update. To better express existing tastes.
First of all, what kind of image did you originally have of the HUNTING WORLD brand?
Aizawa.I have the impression that this is the bag my father used to carry. . I clearly remember him carrying a HUNTING WORLD bag to work every day. His favorite bag was the Battue "Carryall," which was a symbol of the brand. My father was a big American-style guy, so he would wear a Brooks Brothers suit, Levi's denim, and a Battue bag. So I had a strong image of America.
. This is the "Carryall" from "Battue Surpass. It has been loved by many fans for many years, and is truly a masterpiece representing the brand.
Hearing this story, I feel a mysterious connection that Mr. Aizawa was destined to be in this position at this time. When the "Hunting World" side actually made an offer to you, were you able to immediately visualize a clear vision of how you wanted to change things?
Aizawa.HUNTING WORLD was originally perceived as a luxury brand in the outdoor zone, including its price range, and we had no intention of rebranding it. Since HUNTING WORLD has a long history and many people know the brand, we decided to evolve the brand by adding something extra to the existing base, while expressing the quality of the Battue Surpass brand. I thought it was my job to re-create the scene in which HUNTING WORLD's bags should exist, or rather, to discover the meaning of the product's existence.
What do you find attractive about HUNTING WORLD's bags after being involved in the direction and design of the brand?
Aizawa.Battue Surpass" is a bag made of an iconic nylon-based material called Battue Cloth, and the way it is combined with leather parts is very streamlined. I would like to create a bag with a good balance of nylon and leather. On the other hand, it was difficult to know in what fashion and in what situation the bag should be carried. Therefore, in order to update Battue into a modern style, we had to first create the overall image before creating each product.
The Pitti show in June was the perfect stage for this image strategy.
Aizawa.Yes, that's right. I think it was significant that we were able to hold the show at this time. Many of HUNTING WORLD's bags are made in a factory in Florence, and since we had held an exhibition at Pitti, the organizers asked us to do a show if we could present the totality of our products. This was the perfect opportunity for us to create a "scene with bags" as I mentioned earlier, and to present a message of what kind of people and in what style we wanted them to be carried.
The new bags for SS 2018 presented at the Pitti show. The traditional Battue bag has been cleverly modernized while maintaining its authenticity.
American roots and the Italian spirit of craftsmanship . I tried to fuse them together and make them look fresh.
For the show, you must have put a lot of effort into making the bags as well as the clothes. What themes did you set for the clothes?
Aizawa.HUNTING WORLD itself is not a young brand, so there was no need for a particular seasonal topic or theme. As I am just turning 40 myself, I thought it would be a good idea to brush up on the "travel" style that is at the heart of the brand, while keeping in mind the image of how I can age well in the future. I wanted to brush up on the "travel" style that originally formed the foundation of the brand.
Each of the looks, while full of new essence, seemed to have inherited the authenticity characteristic of American brands.
Aizawa.I did not want to create a simple American casual style, but I was very interested in the image of America as seen by Italians. For example, I was very conscious of how the Japanese could take the image of America from the way Italians make denim and sturdy bags, for example, and incorporate it into their own products. I wanted to express the roots of America, while at the same time expressing the fact that we are making products in Italy. I tried to do both.
The use of patches expressing "America as seen from Italy" caught the eye at the show. . The patches are applied to various items such as bags, denim, and shoes.
Are there any particular looks that have left a strong impression on you?
Aizawa.First and second looks. By daring to use the strong colors of green and yellow for the iconic green bag, I was able to blend the old authenticity with the freshness of what I do.
The first and second looks, both with large trolleys, caught the eye with their bright green and yellow color schemes.
I felt that Aizawa's character was also expressed in his textiles.
Aizawa.. When I went to the factory, I saw a large pile of bags. I gradually began to see those piles of bags as a camouflage pattern. I thought, "Why not make an illustration of it and make it into an overall pattern? . It is interesting to take something that you happen to see or find and arrange it into a textile.
Textiles and sporty fabrics that are truly Aizawa-like are projected onto various looks.
HUNTING WORLD" has a strong image of men's wear, but what image did you have in mind when designing and styling the women's collection?
Aizawa.In fact, while the percentage of women's wear was not low when looking at the original clientele, there were few bags and clothes that were completely made for women. . Therefore, I decided that we should show more collections targeting only women with a strong "batteau cloth. . I also thought that as the women's collection expands, it would naturally expand to the young men's zone as well.
The women's collection, which is dramatically more feminine, is also noteworthy.
The show in Italy, making things in Italy . Looking back on this work, what are your impressions again?
Aizawa.I thought it was very important to have a bag factory in Florence for the Pitti show. I myself was familiar with Florence, and I had a good understanding of the people's character and attitude toward craftsmanship. The key to making products was how to motivate the craftspeople who had been there for decades. . If this had been in another country or city, it would have been different.
We want to make luxury bags that people will truly love.
I think that making that many different types of bags is something you have never done before in your life as a designer, but was it a lot of work?
Aizawa.It was hard work (laughs). (Laughs.) But it was more than worthwhile. It was fascinating to start from a price setting and MD perspective, and to think about where and by whom the "HUNTING WORLD" bags should be carried. . It was also very interesting to find old archives and change them into the current form.
Mr. Aizawa, you have a deep knowledge of outdoor products, but did you approach the creation of "HUNTING WORLD" bags differently from the process of making other outdoor products, even though the outdoors is in the background?
Aizawa.That was totally different. Functional beauty is of course important for "HUNTING WORLD," but the basic premise is that the bags are more elegant than that. If you just want something that is easy to use, I don't think this is the bag for you. . I was most careful to design this bag without forgetting its inherent glossiness and elegance.
Luxury is important.
Aizawa.How much we can take care of the bag called "bachoo" and show it in a new way. This is the most important point for us. I myself have come to seek bags and watches that are more elegant than before, as long as they can be easily slipped into my everyday clothes. I hope that HUNTING WORLD will become such a brand for many people.
